The Eighth Tribe, 1978 (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1978-09-01 / 9. szám
I’age 4 THE EIGHTH TRIBE September, 1978 Marina Polvay: TIMELESS BUDAPEST Budapest is a city of timeless romanticism, soaring; spires and magnificent parks, divided by the majestically flowing Danube into ancient Buda and the more modern Pest. Eight graceful bridges span the river and connect the two cities. On the Buda side, the Castle Hill towers over the Danube and the surrounding countryside dominated by the former Royal Palace which stretches across the mile-long plateau and dwarfs the storybook houses, ancient churches and picturesque squares of the Castle district. This is a small piece of terra firma steeped in antiquity and turbulent history through the centuries. On the north side of the delicately Gothic Coronation Church stands the most recent addition to the landscape of the Castle district, the beautiful, new Budapest Hilton. This marvel of modern engineering, with its baroque facade and ancient church tower separating the two wings of the hotel, blends perfectly with the medieval architecture of its surroundings. The location of the hotel was selected about 14 years ago because of its great beauty, although it had suffered extensive damage during World War II. Interestingly, as the ruins were cleared away, historical treasures were discovered under tons of centuriesold rubble. Day hv day the chosen site became more and more of a treasure trove. Foundations of ancient buildings, well-preserved remains of a Dominican abbey, heating units, tunnels, artifacts, columns and statuary were all discovered amidst the ruins. More than 100 Hungarian firms participated in the excavation work and the laying of the foundation for the new hotel, and along every step of the way, new historical marvels were unearthed. Excitement grew among the historians and archaeologists who were now firmly entrenched on the site of the proposed hotel. Finally, guidelines were established for the preservation of the artifacts and the building of the hotel. These were stringent rules by any standards, hut with archaeologists and historians crawling all over the site, the task seemed insurmountable. The architects were instructed to devise plans which would fuse the new structure into its 700-year-old surroundings, and to incorporate into it the remains of the historical monuments, columns and artifacts by either displaying them or making them part of the building in their semi-original, semi-restored state. Thus, the Budapest Hilton became the first structure of its kind in the world, mixing modern luxury with ancient treasure! As excavation progressed for the foundation of the hotel, multiple recesses were discovered which were parts of ancient cellars and catacombs. To assess their depth, the engineers filled the cavities with water. One of them seemed bottomless. The engineers pumped in colored water which emerged about six kilometers away in another part of Buda, leading to speculation that the route could have been an escape tunnel for inhabitants of Buda during its Turkish occupation in the 16th century. Corridors, catacombs, chunks of marble, rosettes and archways were unearthed, then an ancient staircase was painstakingly dug up, and finally archways and corridors of the abbey came to light. A 24-footdeep well with the shield of King Mátyás was among the treasures. Also unearthed was an ingenious heating system partially built by the monks and later expanded and improved upon by the college. Tombs of long-forgotten burghers and nobles were also found, some covered witli intricately carved marble slabs and others magnificent in their austerity and simplicity. Famous Hungarian archaeologist Katalin Holl Gvurky, who is still in charge of the restoration of the artifacts found on the site, spent years climbing down steep ladders into huge excavation pits to search for new discoveries. There is an entire warehouse of artifacts. These are now being catalogued. Mrs. Gyurky laboriously saved every tiny hit and piece of marble, carving and pottery. The end result produced layer upon layer of the intricate history not only of Hungary hut of all Europe... the migrations, wars, conquests, wealth and enlightenment. Many of the treasures today have been transferred to the Royal Castle, which is now a fabulous museum of interest to tourists. Mrs. Gyurky personally escorted my husband and me through the museum, proudly showing off her finds which represented years of devotion and labor. Her eyes light up and her entire posture changes when someone expresses a genuine interest in her life’s work. She talked at length and with great enthusiasm about the origins of the Magyars, their migrations, their settling at Pest and Buda and the history of the Castle Hill. When we asked her about the new theory that Hungarians are actually descendants of Sumerians, she raised her arms and laughed heartily. “Sumerians, indeed!” was her retort. “That’s some kind of elaborate and pompous theory devised by well-meaning but unwitting individuals who do not like the idea of being descendants of the great
